Normally, we assume people's gender based on appearance, and use the
pronouns that correspond with that gender identity. This usually
works, but it can be very awkward when you assume someone's gender
incorrectly. For that reason, we've provided the pronouns of all of
the CMSC 201 TAs and instructors on the staff page. Here is a
short guide
on using pronouns inclusively. Feel free to email TA Jacob
Riehl (riehl1@umbc.edu) if you have questions. Remember, gender
identities (and pronouns) are
protected under Title IX!

We are using a new book this semester; although not "required," it
is highly recommended, as we will be following the
book closely. When you purchase the book from the bookstore, you
will have two options:

An electronic/online copy of the textbook (the "e-text")

An electronic/online copy of the textbook (the "e-text") and
a loose-leaf physical copy of the textbook

The e-text grants you access not only to the full contents of the
textbook, but also to interactive online practice problems
("Interactivities") that provide real-time feedback and evaluation
of your answers. These are a great way to practice your programming
skills and improve your understanding of the material. Additionally,
questions with similiar formats are likely to show up on the exams.

The second option, which contains both the e-text and a loose-leaf
copy of the book, is provided for students who prefer a physical
book when studying. Many students find that staring at the screen
can put a strain on their eyes, or that the computer on which they
read the e-books contains too many other temptations that can
distract them from studying.

If you have to miss a class, you have a number of options to cover
the material on your own. First, the lecture slides are available
on the course website; although simply reading the slides is not a
substitute for attending class, they can give you a good idea of the
material that was covered.

Second, although each professor will present the material in their
own way, you are welcome to attend another professor's lecture on
the few occasions you can't make your assigned class. The same
material is covered in the Monday and Tuesday lectures, and in the
Wednesday and Thursday lectures. You do not need the permission of
an instructor to attend a different section for a day, but
you may not "switch" lecture sections.

Third, if you have any questions about the material after covering
it on your own, the TAs or professors can help you go over the
concepts in office hours. (Of course, the lecture will not be
re-given to you during office hours.)

Fourth, you should be talking, studying, and working with other
students in your lecture and discussion sections. If so, you can
ask one of them to take detailed notes for you, and possibly to help
you go over the material at a later date. (This has the added
benefit for them of reinforcing the material!)

Students are allowed to reschedule a discussion, but only for
reasons similar to those for rescheduling
exams: religious holidays, athletic
competitions for student athletes, etc. If you are caught in
traffic, sleep through your alarm, or forget to attend, you will
receive a zero for that discussion. Plan to arrive early to your
discussion every week so that this is not a problem.

To reschedule your discussion, you first need to email Dr. Gibson at
k.gibson@umbc.edu (even if Dr. Gibson is not your instructor); this
should be done at least a week in advance.
Make sure to include your discussion section number in the email
title! Your email should contain a brief explanation of why
your discussion needs to be rescheduled, the section number and name
of the TA whose discussion you normally attend, and the section
number and name of the TA whose discussion you would like to attend
instead. (You can find a complete listing on
the Sections page.) Dr. Gibson will
respond, either confirming or denying your request, and both TAs
will be notified in the event of a reschedule.

These are one-time requests — if there is a second discussion you
feel you must reschedule, you will need to make a second request. When
you attend your alternate discussion, bring your laptop if
possible, as there may not be enough lab computers.

Also, as a reminder, your three lowest discussion scores are dropped
when the final grade is calculated at the end of the semester.

If a student experiences a personal emergency (hospitalization,
death in the family, etc.), an extension may be granted, even
after the due date (if applicable.) If a student will be at a
school-sanctioned event (conference, sporting event, etc.) for an
extended period of time, an extension may be granted, but
only if requested in advance.

To obtain an extension, you will need to email
your instructor. They may require proof of the event or
emergency in order to grant you an extension. Whether an extension
is granted is up to the discretion of the individual instructor.

If you have a question, your first place to go should be this page
(the FAQ), the course syllabus, or the relevant course page (for
due dates, information about exams, etc.).

If you cannot find the answer in the syllabus or FAQ, you should
email your TA. They will respond
to you within 24 hours (responses on the weekends may take longer).
You can also go to office hours if your question has to do with
course material, or if you need clarification about a course policy.

If you need to discuss something that goes "above" your TA, then
you should email your instructor. For example, if you need to
schedule a meeting about how you can improve your performance in the
class, discuss an issue you're having with a TA, or report a
violation of the Academic Integrity policy (yours or someone
else's). These and similar issues are matters that should be
handled by your instructor.

Your instructor has hundreds of students, while your TA has 20 or
40, so they will be able to help you much more quickly.

Regardless of who you email, make sure you have a meaningful subject
line: CMSC 201, Sec ##, Reason for Emailing. (Your section
number should be your discussion section, not your lecture section.)
The email must be sent from your umbc.edu account!

If you need to email an instructor, you can find their addresses below:

I turned in my homework, but my TA says the file is empty?
or
How can I double-check I submitted my assignment correctly?

If you don't follow the directions, or if you make a mistake when
submitting your assignment, it is possible to submit an empty file
(even one with the correct name) instead of your completed
assignment.

You should always double-check that your assignment was correctly
and completely submitted to the GL system. You can find detailed
instructions on how to do that in
Homework 0.
Make sure you don't wait until the last minute to submit your
assignments — if you do, you won't have time to double-check your
submission.

As long as the due date hasn't passed, you are allowed to resubmit
your assignment as many times as you like. (Be aware that if the
filename is the same, it will automatically overwrite your prior
submission.) It's not a bad idea to submit your assignment each
time you reach a major milestone, so that if you accidentally delete
your file or lose your backup copy, you have your submission as a
second backup.

The mission of Student Disability Services (SDS) is to "ensure that
UMBC students with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to
participate in and benefit from the programs, services, and
activities of the University through the provision of accommodations
and reasonable modifications that result in equal access and full
inclusion." You can find more information about their mission on
their web page.

SDS is not just for students with physical impairments or learning
disorders. Students with chronic health issues (epilepsy, chronic
pain, etc.), mental health issues (clinical depression, etc.), and
ADD/ADHD are also eligible for accommodations, as long as
appropriate documentation of the disability is provided.
Accommodations include things like extra time on exams or having
another student provide their notes for the classes you're taking.
SDS can also help if you have a temporary injury or impairment that
requires accommodation.

CMSC 201-13 is the "Guided Review Section," and it and its attached
discussion sections are meant for students who meet two conditions:

The student has no prior programming experience (in any language).

The student will attend an additional hour of required
guided review each week.

This hour of required guided review is in addition to the hour of
required computer lab practice, and the two 75-minute lectures each
week. You do not have to be a Computer Science or a
Computer Engineering major to enroll in CMSC 201-13.

Students in CMSC 201-13 will cover course material at the same pace
and depth as the other sections of CMSC 201, and will complete the
same assignments, exams, and lab exercises. The guided review hour
will be used to cover topics in more detail, to work on concrete
skills in small groups, and to practice the material learned in
class. The additional hour of guided review each week is required,
and failure to attend will negatively impact your grade. The guided
review will be led by a Teaching Assistant, with support from the
instructor as necessary.

If you are new to programming and would like extra support and course
time to learn the material, CMSC 201-13 is the right section for
you!

Registration for CMSC 201-13 and its associated discussion sections
is by permission only. To obtain permission, you will need to
see an advisor in
COEIT.